Ambivalent
by Ooh Jemima
Summary: She didn't know what to do about him. He didn't know what to do about her. As the saying goes, opposites attract. Is that really the case for these two? (AU)
1. Chapter 1

_A/N:_ _Just_ _wanted to try something new. No promises on anything._

It was just the wind. The leaves of the oak tree shivered at its touch. The branches scratched away at the glass window. Erie street lights glowed dimly, illuminating the dark road. It was quiet, except for the quiet hum of the city.

He was no ordinary criminal-on-the-run, and she was not your regular A-plus student. It was no coincidence that fate had pushed them together on this silent night.

She was of a wealthy family. As an only child, anything she wanted, she bat her eyelashes and she got; when she turned sixteen two years ago, her parents had given her a snowy white luxury car. Both her parents had studied at a prestigious law school, and later on became lawyers. She was to follow in the same footsteps. She had her entire life planned out for her by her parents. They had high expectations for her, and she was to meet them. They were rarely home, always off on business trips or vacationing, but they were always clear in what they expected of her. As a result, she threw herself into her education. She was gorgeous, with her slender figure and silky brown hair; all the guys' jaws dropped when she walked by. Unfortunately, studying left no room for friends, social activity, or fun, let alone the commitment of a boyfriend. She had her acquaintances, of course, but none too close. She prided herself upon her work, for anything less than an A was frowned upon by her parents.

Little did she know, all this work was driving her into a deep depression. Each day she would stress over upcoming exams, grades, college applications. Worry lines soon became visible upon her forehead. Dark circles under her eyes were evident. Every waking moment was spent studying for the end-of-year test. It would determine whether or not she would get into the same school as her parents, whether she would take after them. Her parents had never been very supportive, believing that if they told her she couldn't do something, she would strive harder to get their approval. It had worked, when she was younger. Now, she's heard it so much, she's started to believe it. They've pushed her to her breaking point.

* * *

His family was of middle-class; nothing too extravagant, nothing too cheap. He had two older brothers and one younger sister, whom, although he'd never admit it, he cared deeply for. Being the youngest of three brothers, he often was the subject of teasing, joking, and downright bullying. They had their brotherly moments together, but those were rare. His mother was extremely loving and supportive of her "baby," while his father believed he needed to man up and get a job or go to college. He and his father drove each other crazy with all the incessant bickering about it. He, on the other hand, thought otherwise; he was fine with living with his parents and relaxing all day. His senior year of high school would be over soon, anyway.

His first heist had been a small one, a keychain. He was thirteen, and had just gotten out of a fight with his father. At the gas station when no one was looking, he swiftly grabbed it off the rack and casually walked away. He did it to impress a girl he liked. And it worked. Ever since her, he's had multiple girlfriends. Girls pined for him. He was a player. Now, he wears the keychain as a necklace, because, why not? Over the years he stole more and more, bigger and bigger. No longer to impress girls, but more for his own enjoyment. Somehow, out of all the things he's stolen, he's only been caught a few times, resulting in a harsh tongue-lashing from his parents. After he turned sixteen, he had stolen a motorcycle, to which he still drives. He didn't steal the license plate, however. He liked living on the edge. He loved the thrill of it. But at the end of the day, he would head home to the sanctuary that was his family. His patchy relationship with his father would never mend, but they would always apologize.

* * *

Her parents always wanted the best for her, or so she thought. She never saw what was so interesting about being a lawyer, other than the money. She didn't even know why she strove so hard to please her parents, especially if she didn't like what to they wanted her to be like. They were gone on a business trip once again, this time in Tokyo, Japan. She'd always wondered what it was like in Japan, and now her parents had gone. She stated at the math homework before her, sighing. It was late, and the only light was her small table lamp. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the ceiling, deep in thought. Right before her parents had left for Japan, they had told her she'd never be as good as them. She knew this was just their way of encouragement, but it really hurt her. Tears welled up as she thought about the number of times they'd belittled her. Frustrated, she crumpled her homework up and threw it across the room. She turned off the lamp and decided to take a night walk. It was the middle of March, and where she lived, it was relatively chilly in the evening.

There was a space museum a couple blocks away, and she always found that place full of mysteries. Contrary to her peers' belief, she loved astronomy. It was always open pretty late, and so she decided to go there and unwind. It wasn't the first time she's gone there this late at night, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. Hands in her pockets, her high heels clicked as she made her way down the street. It was cold enough to see her breath, and all she had on were skinny jeans and a blouse. She cursed under her breath for not bringing a jacket out, but her burning pride would not allow her to go back.

She waved hello to the night-time security guard, whom she'd become acquainted with during her regular visits. She made her way to the stairs, and climbed to to the rooftop. Finding a good view of the night sky, she sat down on the edge of the building, feet dangling, and watched the stars. The wind blew in her hair. It was, after all, a space museum. The place even had a telescope at the top for night owl visitors like her. The building was one of the taller ones overlooking the city. Although she was cold, she didn't want to miss the beauty of it all.

* * *

He ran as soon as he heard the alarm. Grabbing everything he could carry, he bolted out of the jewelry store. After a few blocks, he slowed and took his jacket off, hiding the small bag of stolen goods. Before the heist, he had thought about bringing his motorcycle, but decided against it, thinking it would draw attention. He was right. He picked up his pace again when he thought he heard the cops somewhere behind him. Finally, exhausted from sprinting, he came to a stop before the space museum. He decided this was a good hiding spot, at least while things cooled off. There was no way he would head home and risk getting caught. He tied his jacket around his waist and tucked the bag of jewelry in his pocket and went in the automatic doors of the museum. He ducked past the night guard and headed for the stairs, deciding to go to the roof to clear his mind.

She heard the door open before she saw it. Whipping her head around, she saw a flash of green and black. She made no sudden movements, instead choosing to stay quiet. She watched the shadowy figure move around. Turning back to the sky, she decided it was probably just the night guard.

"Hey, whoa, don't jump," came a voice.

Startled, she almost fell off the edge of the roof. She quickly got up on level ground and brushed herself off. She studied the speaker. He looked about her age. He had black hair and a bright green mowhawk on top of his head. Piercings decorated both ears. He had two eyebrow studs and one nose stud. She was disgusted that someone like him had the audacity to approach someone like her.

"I wasn't going to, until you came along and almost made me fall!" she snapped.

"Feisty, I like that," he replied coolly. "What's your name?

She crossed her arms. "Why do you care?"

He raised his arms up in defense. "Just asking."

"Andrea," she said after a long pause. She didn't trust him. Not yet, anyway.

"Really? I don't believe you."

"Why not?"

"Let's just say that I have a superpower to tell when people are lying. And you, dear Princess, are lying."

"Don't call me that!" she exclaimed.

"Then what _do_ you want me to call you?" he grinned.

She huffed. "My real name is Courtney."

"Ah, see? I was right. I don't blame you for not trusting me, though. So, Courtney, why are you here on this roof on this lovely night?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because I know how it is to keep my feelings bottled up. The result isn't pretty, Princess."

She balked. He could see right through her. Soon enough, every word was spilling out of her mouth before she knew it. She couldn't believe how easy it was to talk to this guy. Somewhere in the process, they had both sat down next to each other and watched the flickering lights of the city.

"... and now, I'm here," she concluded, shivering a bit. "Why are you here, anyway?"

"Before I tell my side of the story, I think you're a bit cold, sweetheart. Here." He untied his jacket from his waist and wrapped it around her. She was hesitant at first, but eventually accepted it.

"Thank you." She was surprised that someone like him could be such a gentleman.

"No problem. Now, as to why I'm here," he began, looking at the city. In the distance, police sirens sounded, getting louder and closer.

"Shoot," he whispered.

"What is it?" she asked, concerned. She had just gotten comfortable with his company.

"They found me. I gotta go," he stood up and walked to the stairs.

"Wait!" she called after him. "I never got your name!"

"It's Duncan, sweetheart!" She stared at him. "That's my real name, I promise! Oh, and here's my number; hit me up sometime." He reached in his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper and threw it at her, where it landed a few feet away. He always had his phone number handy in case he met a girl.

She smiled to herself as she watched him disappear down the stairs. She walked over to pick the paper up and pulled out her own phone, adding the number into it.

"Duncan," she whispered to herself. "His name is Duncan."

Walking back to the edge, she looked down and wondered why he had left so urgently. She had heard the police sirens too, and she could only assume that's why he had to leave. She wasn't surprised. Giddy with excitement, she headed home.

As a child, she loved reading mystery books, especially _Nancy Drew_. She pulled his jacket tighter around her and thought about how Duncan was another mystery to her, one she was determined to solve.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: It's a bit shorter, sorry! Again, no promises. If you find a typo, please let me know! Thanks!_

* * *

Courtney stared at her phone as she lied in bed. It had been a week since her encounter with the boy named Duncan, and already she couldn't get him off her mind. She silently scolded herself for being attracted to someone like him. Of course, she would never let him know of her affections. Meeting him was a relief and a burden at the same time. On one hand, she could finally take her mind off her studies. On the other, she could think of nothing but him, hindering her completion of schoolwork.

She had thought about what to text him for what felt like centuries. Everytime she wrote something, she quickly deleted it, deciding it wasn't good enough.

There was a quiet _tap tap_ tapping on her bedroom window. She changed her position in bed, turning away from the window. She ignored the sound, thinking was probably just the wind waving a tree branch or something. It grew silent and she slowly dozed off. The sound came again, jerking her awake. She sat up and looked at her window, and there he was. He wore his trademark smirk and she glared at him. Turning on her bedside lamp, she got up and opened her window, curtains billowing from the cool breeze do the night. Duncan swiftly hopped in and sat down on her bed.

"What are you doing here?!" she hissed.

"Sheesh, Princess, I wanted to see you. Is that a crime?" He shrugged it off.

"I told you not to call me that! And it is if you're breaking into my house in the middle of the night! How'd you find me, anyway?"

"I have my sources," he grinned, white teeth flashing in the dim light.

"Care to tell me who they are? My parents are lawyers, you know. They don't stand for this kind of tomfoolery," Courtney declared.

"Last time I checked, your parents were away in Japan. How does it feel, your parents knowing you've always wanted to go there, and then them going there without you? I mean, if it was a business trip, sure, but they're vacationing." He crossed his arms.

She said nothing, sitting down next to him. The two grew quiet, enjoying the company of each other.

"I have school, and they needed a vacation after working so hard," she stammered after a long pause. He noticed it sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than him. She was lost in her own thought for a while, a blank look on her face. It was impossible for him to tell what she was thinking about.

"Why'd you leave so quickly the other night? Was it the police?" She was curious.

Duncan sighed. "Well, Dollface, since we're going to be seeing each other a lot more, I guessing can tell you."

"What do you mean, 'we'll see each other a lot more'?" she demanded.

"I like you, Courtney," he said matter-of-factly. "As crazy as it seems, I like you. So I'm gonna come and see you more, even if you don't like it. And let's face it, you like it."

"As if," she huffed and looked away, a blush spreading across her cheeks.

 _No! I am_ not _falling for him!_ Courtney scolded herself.

"I don't have time for people like you. It's a school night!"

He ignored that statement.

"You see, I was running away from the police because I broke into a jewelry store."

She snorted. "Figures."

Duncan produced a small drawstring bag, opening it, and pulling out a diamond bracelet.

"This," he held it up to her, "is one of the many things I stole."

"Good job."

"Thanks. I want you to have it."

She was taken aback at his words.

"What? No! I can't have it; what if they arrest me or something just because you gave me a stupid bracelet?"

She instantly regretted her words. For a moment, hurt flashed across his chiseled face, but he quickly regained his composure.

"I mean, it's not stupid at all!" Courtney's face flushed. "It's amazing. But, I just can't take it. I can't take that risk."

He laughed at her worried face. "Don't worry, Princess." He looked into her eyes. "Trust me. May I?"

Reluctantly, she held out her wrist and he put the bracelet on her. It was beautiful, and complimented her tanned skin wonderfully.

"You should wear it to school tomorrow," Duncan insisted.

"Maybe I will."

He grinned. "Good."

They stared into each other's eyes for what felt like years but was probably just seconds, before he broke the spell and spoke.

"I should go. See you tomorrow, Court." With that, he saluted and climbed out of her window and onto the oak tree outside, making his way down.

Court. She's never been called that before. Not by parents, not by friends, not by anyone. It just never clicked. But somehow, he made it work. She'll add that to the never-ending list of names he had for her: Princess. Sweetheart. Dollface. And most recently, Court.

She fell asleep with a smile on her face.

* * *

Duncan jumped down from the tree swiftly, landing on her perfectly kept lawn with a soft _thud_. He was in no hurry to get anywhere, deciding to slowly walk home, hands in pockets. He could see his breath in the chilly night air. He enjoyed the quietness that nighttime brought to the small town he lived in.

The incident from a week ago had blown over and he had gotten away unsuspected. Okay, maybe the police had searched his house top to bottom, and gotten a serious tongue-lashing from his parents, but still-he got away, and that's all that mattered to him. After all, school would end soon, and he would be free.

He thought about what he would do after he finished high school. To be honest, the future scared him. All the uncertainty, all the options…

Should he go to college like Princess? Nah. Duncan wasn't goody-goody like Courtney. Should he get a job? Probably, if he knows what's best for him. He had to get money somehow. Then again, if he were to marry Courtney, who, would obviously become a lawyer and get loads of money, would he need a job in the long run…?

He shook his head. He was getting _too_ far into the future.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't realize he was right in front of his house. It wasn't until he ran into a street light pole with a _bang_ that he looked up, rubbing his throbbing forehead. Duncan groaned and sat on the steps in outside his front door. It was nearing midnight, and he should probably head to bed. It was a school night for him as well, and he couldn't afford to miss anymore days.

Quietly, he got up and opened the door. His parents had gotten used to his late-night escapades and known to leave the door unlocked for him. He gently shut the door behind him and locked it with a soft _click_. The house was dark; everybody was asleep. Everybody but him. Sighing, he made his way up the creaky wooden stairs to his messy room. When he got there, he flopped on his bed and fell asleep instantly, snoring lightly. He dreamed of what could be.


	3. Chapter 3

Upon arriving at school, Courtney was approached by the principal, Dr. Peterson. Next to him was a new student: a girl with thick, blond hair pulled back in a ponytail and olive-green eyes.

"Courtney, this is Bridgette. She's new around here, and I want you to show her around since you're the best student this school has ever seen. Okay?"

"Of course, Dr. Peterson!" Turning to Bridgette, she held out her hand and introduced herself. "Hi! I'm Courtney."

"Hey!" Bridgette answered, shaking Courtney's hand. The bracelet Duncan gave her jangled.

"Hey," Bridgette pointed at Courtney's wrist. "That's really cute! Where'd you get it?"

"Oh," Courtney blushed. _Why am I blushing?! I don't like_ him… _right?_ "Well, this guy gave it to me."

"Ooh, a guy," Bridgette nudged her.

Courtney blushed harder.

* * *

It turned out that the two girls shared many of the same classes; they became fast friends. A first for Courtney, who never had much time for friends.

As lunchtime approached, the bell rang, dismissing the students. Soon, the halls filled with the casual chatter of countless people, the slamming of metal locker doors, and the squeaking of shoes against the tiled floors. Courtney saw Bridgette gathering her things at her locker, with a new friend by her side.

"Hey, Courtney!" Bridgette waved her over. "This is Gwen! I met her in my chemistry class!"

"Hi…" Courtney said awkwardly. Goths weren't her favorite people. She always saw them as creeps who listened to heavy metal and had skin problems.

"Nice to meet you, Courtney. Aren't you in my math class?"

"Uh, yeah! I think I've seen you there."

"Cool! Well, gotta run. Catch you guys later?" Gwen smiled.

"Totally!" Bridgette exclaimed.

After Gwen left, Courtney turned to Bridgette and sighed.

"Wow. She was _nice._ "

Bridgette laughed. "Of course she was. What did you think she was going to be like?"

Courtney watched Gwen's retreating figure and thought about how Duncan had surprised her. Maybe she shouldn't be so quick to judge others…

"I don't know."

* * *

Courtney drove home in silence, thoughts swarming inside her head. Meeting Duncan had changed her whole outlook on life. She began to question what she really wanted to do after she graduated high school. Did she _really_ want to go to law school? Did she _really_ want to follow in her parents footsteps? Seeing Duncan living such a free and easy life made her wonder about her own.

She parked on her driveway and went inside to her room. There, Courtney pulled out a book from her backpack and began to read. The house was silent except for the faint rustling when she turned the page. Every few minutes Courtney would look up at her window, where just the previous night Duncan had climbed in through. She wondered if he would visit her again.

Courtney silently scolded herself for having such a wish. No, she could _not_ like him. He was a pig, a neanderthal…

So why did she feel butterflies when he was near?

All these conflicting feelings gave her a headache. She got up to get a glass of water.

* * *

Duncan frowned. He stared at his phone, hoping the screen would light up with the notification of a text. Specifically, a text from Courtney.

He laughed at himself. Normally, girls pined for him. Not the other way around. He thought it was silly that he liked someone like her, considering he always hated her type: preps who flaunted their wealth.

But Courtney was different.

Sadly, he knew the truth. Even if she did return his affections, she would probably make it into some prestigious law school, and he would get a job flipping burgers. They would grow apart and never speak to each other again. On top of that, her parents would never let him near her. Ever.

Still, it was fun. Duncan always made the most of what he could.

The bell rang, pulling him from his thoughts. The school day had just ended. Only two more weeks to go before graduation.

Duncan groaned and picked up his backpack, swinging it around his shoulder.

As he left the school premises, he wondered if he should go visit Princess. She'd probably start screaming at him for bothering her when she needed to study.

Then he remembered her parents were still out of town, a grand opportunity to get to know her better.

Duncan headed in the direction of her house.

* * *

Deciding to be polite this time, he rang the doorbell. A pleasant chime rang through the house. After a while, he suspected she knew it was him and therefore didn't want to answer the door.

"I know you're in there," he shouted at the door. "Stop ignoring me!"

Meanwhile, inside, Courtney rolled her eyes. She was secretly happy he'd come to see her, although she would never acknowledge it. She sighed and went to open the door. She was greeted by a grinning Duncan.

"Happy to see me, Princess?"

"No. And don't call me that. How did you even get here, anyway?"

"Whatever, sweetheart. And I walked."

"Why are you here?" Courtney asked, exasperated. "I have work to do!"

"Relax. Can I come in?"

Courtney thought it over. "Fine. But you need to take off your shoes."

"Sweet," he said, taking his shoes off and tossing them aside. "Nice crib. It's pretty dope."

Courtney was taken aback. " _Excuse me?_ What language are you speaking?"

"The same you are. Where's the food, woman?"

Courtney glared at him. "I hope you don't expect me to dignify that with a response."

"So," Duncan began, getting comfortable on one of her soft couches, "why didn't you text me?"

Courtney sat across from him, her posture perfect. "Why should I?"

He gave her a toothy grin and brushed his hands through his mohawk. "You know you want to."

"Okay, I think that's enough of that conversation." She smoothed out her skirt.

Duncan held his hands up in defense. "Okay, Dollface. Change of subject. I see you wore the bracelet I gave you last night."

Courtney fiddled with it. "Yes. What about it?"

"I think you know what," he said cheekily.

"Duncan, you disgust me."

"You know you want me."

"No, I don't."

"Whatever."

Suddenly, a rumbling sound passed through the house.

"Crap," Courtney exclaimed. She cursed under her breath.

"Courtney, what's wrong?" He raised an eyebrow.

"It's my parents; that was the garage. They're home early! You need to leave, like, right _now_."

"Okay, okay!" Duncan said as Courtney ushered him out the back door.

Right as she slammed the door shut, the garage door opened. In came her mother, Cynthia, who was blonde, beautiful, and bedazzled in all sorts of jewelry. She was a trophy wife to her husband, Mark, a prominent and distinguished man in the world of business. Both were also very serious corporate lawyers.

"Hello, darling!" Courtney's mom gave her a kiss on both cheeks.

"Mom! Dad! I thought you weren't coming home for a while?"

"Well, plans change," her dad answered.

"Oh… okay."

All of a sudden, Cynthia screamed. Courtney rushed to her mother's side.

"What happened?"

Cynthia pointed a shaky finger at a pair of red shoes by the front door. Dirty shoes. Shoes that could only belong to a certain delinquent. They stood out amongst the spotless pairs of shoes like a sore thumb.

"What are those… _things?!_ " Her mother squealed.

"Oh, it's nothing… really…" Courtney quickly grabbed them and tossed them into the trash. She would have to remember to give them to Duncan later. For now, he would have to walk home without shoes.

"Courtney, did you have something to do with those things?" Her mother asked, crossing her arms.

"Uh, no, mother! I don't know how they got there!"

She studied her face. "Courtney, are you lying?"

"Of course not!" Courtney's palms were sweaty She had never lied to her parents before.

Fortunately, both her parents were extremely jet lagged and so her mother decided not to press on the subject.

"I'm going to go help your father with the luggage. Have you done your homework?"

"Not yet."

Her mother sighed. "Courtney…"

"Yes, I know. I need to get good grades so I can go to university, like you and Dad did."

Her mother nodded and patted her head. "Good."

Courtney ran upstairs to her room, where she shut the door and closed her eyes, sighing. She saw a flash of green by her window; Duncan was in her tree. She hurriedly opened the window.

"Where are my shoes?" he demanded.

She face-palmed. She'd left them in the trash downstairs, and she did _not_ want to face her parents again. But, she had no other choice.

"I threw them in the trash. Let me go get them."

A few minutes later, she came back with his shoes, holding them by the tips of the shoelaces. Her face scrunched up with disgust, she tossed them at Duncan, who caught the shoes without missing a beat.

"Thanks for taking such great care of them," he told her, sarcastically.

"No problem. Now, please leave."

"I will, if you promise to text me."

Courtney pouted.

"I got all day, Princess."

She stifled a smile. "Fine. Now _go._ "

Duncan gave her a smile that made her heart skip a beat before finally jumping out of the tree.


	4. Chapter 4

A few days passed since Duncan last saw Courtney. They had cut it close that day, a little too close. He could see why she had been keeping mum.

Still, she promised she'd text him.

"Duncan! Come down and eat dinner with your family," his father, Dave, shouted up the stairs.

Duncan groaned and reluctantly dragged himself out of his messy room. His family stared at him from the dining table as he slowly made his way down the stairs, one step at a time.

The chair squeaked as he pulled it across the tiled floor. He sat down and picked his fork up, stabbing his dish.

"Son, don't do that," Dave said, shaking his head disapprovingly.

Duncan slowly looked up, extremely annoyed. He set his fork down and pulled his phone out, setting his elbows on the table.

"Duncan…" his mother, Emily, warned.

He closed his eyes, sighed, and reopened his eyes.

"You know what?" he asked, pushing away from the table. "I'm not even hungry. Goodnight." With that, he stood up and retreated to his room.

"Get back here and finish your dinner! Duncan?" his dad called after him.

The only response was the sound of Duncan slamming the door behind him.

* * *

Courtney sighed audibly at the dinner table, slightly prodding at her food. It was silent, aside from the noise of her mother's dainty chewing and her father typing away on his smartphone.

"Mark, please, not at the table," her mother chided. "So, Courtney, how was school today?"

"Oh, it was wonderful. Learning, learning, learning!" Courtney answered sarcastically.

Her mother frowned. "Courtney, you know how important your education is…"

"Of course, mother," she said with another sigh.

Focusing on schoolwork had never been a problem for her, even if it meant she had no time for fun. It never bothered her until recently, when she met a certain troublemaker who lived in the moment. To be completely honest, she never noticed the lack of fun until she met him.

"That's new," Cynthia said, pointing to her daughter's bracelet.

"What?" Courtney wasn't expecting that. She fumbled with the bracelet. "This old thing? Um, a friend gave it to me."

"A _friend?_ Courtney, you really shouldn't be wasting your time with friends—"

"Is it really that bad to have friends?!" Courtney stood up from her seat.

Her father looked up from his small smartphone. "Courtney, sit down," he said sternly.

She opened her mouth to say something and decided against it, pressing her lips together tightly. She slowly sat down and ate her dinner in silence.

* * *

 _Ding._

Duncan turned in his sleep.

 _Ding._

He snapped his eyes open and glanced at the clock; it was two o'clock in the morning. He groaned and buried his face in his pillow.

 _Ding._

He groggily propped himself up with a pillow and blindly grabbed for his phone in the dark. When he found it, he turned it on. The blinding light caused him to squint. After his eyes adjusted, he saw three new messages. From an unknown number.

It occurred to him that he never got Courtney's number, so he didn't have a contact for her. His spirits rose slightly at the thought of her texting him.

But this late at night? No, it couldn't be her.

Duncan finally opened the messages:

 _Duncan. It's Courtney._

 _Duncan, wake up. I can't sleep._

 _Duncan, wake up!_

A new message popped up:

 _DUNCAN. WAKE UP._

Duncan, now fully awake, grinned. He couldn't stop grinning. She had texted him! And he had her number! He immediately pressed the green call button.

It rang once.

Twice.

Three times.

Four times.

He thought she wouldn't pick up.

After the sixth ring, he finally heard a faint "Hello?"

"Court!" He exclaimed. "Didn't think you would pick up!"

"Okay, well, I did. What do you want?"

"I should be asking you. I'm not the one who woke me up at two in the morning."

Courtney could hear the smile in his voice. "Sorry. I just—I couldn't sleep."

"Aw," he pouted. "Princess couldn't get her beauty sleep?"

She rolled her eyes. "No. My parents saw my bracelet."

The smile fell off his face.."Did you tell them it was from me?"

"What? No, no. Nothing like that. I just said it was from a friend of mine. And now they think I'm wasting my time on friends and not focusing on my schoolwork. I mean, is it really that wrong to have some friends?"

"Well—" Duncan was cut off.

"And it's not just that. They saw your shoes. They're definitely suspecting something. And I don't know how much longer I can keep lying to them. I mean, they're my _parents_. I have never lied to them before!" Courtney rambled.

Duncan paused, taking in everything she just said. He didn't know what to tell her; he wasn't some sort of counselor, and he wasn't planning on becoming one anytime soon.

"Duncan? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bombard you with my problems." Somehow, after a lifetime of being reserved, she was able to talk freely with this guy that she had met only a short while ago. And she didn't know what to think about that.

"Uh…" He wasn't sure how to begin. "Courtney—"

Courtney cut him off again. "You know what? It's okay. I am okay. Thanks for listening. I should really be getting to bed now; I have school in the morning. Goodnight, Duncan."

And with that, she hung up.

Duncan wasn't the type of guy who got hung up on. But he decided that he would let it slide, just this once. He also decided that he would go see her after she got home from school tomorrow.

* * *

Courtney tossed and turned all night. By the time she was in class, she was nodding off to sleep. Her teachers were disappointed with her; she was disappointed with herself.

When she finally got home, she found a note from her parents saying they had gone out of town for important business meetings.

 _Figures_ , she thought with a sigh.

She sat down at her desk and silently began working on her homework. Before she knew it, she fell asleep, her head hitting the desk with a soft _thud_.

* * *

 _Click._

Courtney snapped her head up to the sight of Duncan shutting her door..

"Ohh…" she groaned.

"Rise and shine. 'Bout time you woke up."

"Duncan? What the heck are you doing here?" Courtney raised her voice. "More importantly, how did you get into my house?!"

"Relax. Your spare key was under the mat. Y'know, for a family of smart people like yours and a fancy house like yours, it's probably not a good idea to hide a key there. People like me could easily get in and steal something." He winked at her.

Courtney stared at him. "Give me that!" She grabbed the silver key from him and set it down. "Are you telling me that you are going to steal from me?"

"Maybe."

Courtney raised her eyebrows.

"I'm just kidding! I couldn't do that to you, Princess."

"So why are you here?" she asked, exasperated.

"I came in to check on you."

"Thank you so much," Courtney replied sarcastically. "I was in need of my knight in shining armor."

"Don't I know it," he answered, sitting down.

A small smile crept onto her face. Duncan smiled back. Courtney leaned in and Duncan followed, closing his eyes. Their faces became extremely close and…

"You're not my type," she whispered, pushing him back with a shove..

Duncan's eyes snapped open. "What? Come on! That was evil!"

Courtney giggled and shrugged.

"So," Duncan leaned back, "where are your parents off to this time?"

"Business meetings. Probably won't be back until tomorrow morning."

"Ah. So we have the whole night."

"Gross."

"Hm. You know, you're pretty cute when you sleep. Here, look. I took a picture." Duncan pulled out his phone and showed it to her.

Courtney's mouth dropped open. "You pervert! You neanderthal! You broke into my house, possibly stole something, and took a picture of me while I was sleeping?! What is wrong with you? Delete it now! Delete it right now!"

Duncan laughed. "You're even cuter when you're mad at me."

She furrowed her brows. "Give that phone to me."

She made a grab for it, which Duncan dodged swiftly without missing a beat.

"Ah, ah, ah, Dollface. First, you gotta kiss me," he grinned mischievously.

"No. Way. Now give it to me!"

"Not without the kiss."

"Duncan, seriously."

"I am being serious!"

"I can't believe you."

"Well, believe it, sweetheart."

Courtney narrowed her eyes. "I am not kissing you, and you are going to delete that picture _right now._ "

"No," he said simply.

"You little—ugh! I hate you!"

"Aw, come on. You don't mean that." Duncan grinned wider.

"You… _scumbag!_ "

"Ouch. That hurt, Court. Now, I'll tell you what. I'm going to leave. And you have my number, right? So you can let me know when you want this picture deleted."

"I want it deleted _now._ "

"Then give me that kiss now."

Courtney was sick of him. "You know what? Fine!"

She pulled him close and pressed her lips onto his. After what seemed like hours but was probably only a few seconds, she pulled back and glared at him, eyes watery.

"There. Are you happy now?! Now _please_ leave so I can work on my homework!" Her voice cracked. She stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

Duncan was too shocked to speak. Slowly, he opened the picture on his phone and hit the delete button.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading!_


	5. Chapter 5

Courtney curled up on the couch in her living room and looked out the window to see the sun setting. She gripped one of the fluffy pillows tightly and hugged it to her chest, the orange sky reflecting off her watery eyes. She sniffed and rubbed her eyes, burying her face in the pillow.

Suddenly, she felt the couch sag on the other side. She glanced up to see Duncan watching her, his face unreadable. Her eyebrows furrowed.

"I suppose you're here to mock me," she said.

He gave her a toothy grin. "That sounds very tempting, Princess."

"Hm," she huffed, looking away.

After a long pause, Courtney spoke again. "That was my _first kiss,"_ she whispered.

" _Really?_ Well, it didn't seem like it."

She glared at him.

"Hey," he raised his arms up in defense. "I meant it as a compliment!"

She glared at him some more.

"I deleted the picture," he said quietly.

" _What?"_ Courtney was appalled.

"You heard me."

A small smile formed on her face. "No, I don't think I did."

"You're really making me do this?"

Courtney smiled wider and crossed her arms.

"Fine. Courtney, I deleted the picture."

She nodded, satisfied. "I didn't think you had it in you."

He snorted. "You really think that little of me? Ouch."

The two smiled at each other for a while, enjoying the comfort of each other's presence.

Duncan finally broke the silence with a sigh, standing up. "Well, I should probably get going. You have to do your homework, after all." And with that, he headed out the front door.

"Duncan, wait!" Courtney called after him, holding onto the doorframe.

He turned around smoothly, hands in pockets, his breath visible in the cool autumn air. "Yeah, Court?"

"Um," she shyly tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. "When can I see you again?"

His face immediately broke into a wide grin. "Not tomorrow, but the night after. Top of the space museum, where I saved you from jumping."

Her face scrunched. "I wasn't going to jump! For your information, I was enjoying the night sky."

"Yeeaahhh. It's a date, then. Sayonara, Princess." With a quick wave of the hand, he was off.

Courtney closed the door and leaned against it, giddy with happiness. She had a _date_. A date! But she couldn't let her excitement get the best of her.

"Courtney," she scolded herself. "Pull yourself together. You need to do your homework. No more slacking off."

With a newfound determination, she went back to her desk and got to work.

* * *

Duncan whistled as he walked home, occasionally coming across a flickering street light. He was more than happy; he had a date! With Courtney of all people! She was finally warming up to him. Normally, if a girl had been this hard to charm, he would have just given up altogether. But Courtney was special. _Really_ special. And he was okay with a challenge.

His thoughts drifted to his motorcycle, which sat inside the garage collecting dust from neglect. He would have to remember to drive it to his date.

He couldn't stop smiling at the thought.

As he turned the corner to his neighborhood, he saw two police cars parked outside his house, lights flashing.

" _Crap,"_ he breathed out. They were onto him.

Several different thoughts crossed his mind. Should he run and hide? But where would he go?

He decided that he would figure that part out later.

Just as he turned around to leave, his father, who saw him through the window, yelled at him from the front door.

"Duncan! Get in here _right now!"_

Duncan groaned, gritting his teeth and reluctantly dragged himself inside, where he was greeted by the faces of his family. His heart sunk when he saw his little sister, Kelly, peeking out from behind his mother, staring up at him with wide eyes.. His two brothers on the other hand, looked down at him in disappointment.

"You made us real proud today," the older one said.

"Cram it, Andy," he snarled. "You and Toby are always giving me crap about everything. Can't you just shut up for once?"

"Duncan, what is the meaning of this?" Dave demanded, holding up a familiar-looking bag.

"Dad, I can explain—"

"Can you, son? Can you?

"Sir, if you could please let the station take care of the questioning—"Stanley, one of the policemen, interjected.

"No! I need to talk to my son!"

"Sir, please," Oscar, the other policeman, said, reaching for his arm.

"Let go of me! Fine, take him to the station." Dave grumbled.

Within moments, Duncan was handcuffed and shoved inside a police car, on his way to the police station. He sighed as he looked out the window.

Once at the station, he was immediately sat down for an interrogation.

"Did you steal the jewelry?"

"Yes. You got me. Can I go now?"

The police officer, Dwight, balked. He hadn't expected this to be so easy.

"Uh, no. Why did you do it?"

"Because I felt like it," he answered simply.

Dwight inwardly groaned. He had spoken too soon.

"Alright, Duncan. Everything stolen was recovered, except a diamond bracelet. Do you know what happened to this bracelet?"

Duncan frowned. He didn't want to drag Courtney into this. After all, he told her not to worry.

"No," he lied.

The police officer studied his face. Something about it told him not to press.

"Okay, next question."

Duncan groaned.

* * *

The interrogation went on like this for a while, until he was finally released with a sentence of thirty hours of community service. However, he was warned that the next time he committed a crime like this, they would not be so nice with his punishment and he would be serving time in jail.

Unfortunately for him, this meant that he would have to cancel his date with Courtney, which he was _not_ looking forward to.

As soon as he got home, his father held out his hand.

"Phone. Keys."

Duncan narrowed his eyes. "You can't just take away my things like that!"

"Duncan, we are not arguing about this. Hand them over. Now."

He glared at his father some more before finally handing over his possessions.

"Good. And you're grounded for a month," Dave said, heading up the stairs.

"Now listen here old man—"

Dave turned around, enraged. "Duncan, we are _not_ arguing about this! I am tired enough as it is without you talking back to me! Now, go to bed! You're going to school in the morning. The school called, and you can not miss any more days unless you want to get held back, _again!_ " And with that, he retreated into his bedroom that he shared with his wife and slammed the door behind him.

Duncan wanted to yell out. His father was right. And he hated that. Plus, he couldn't tell Courtney that the date was off. This night couldn't get worse.

He decided that he would deal with things in the morning.

Flopping down on his bed, he turned on the small TV in his room.

The screen crackled to life. There was a lady giving a lesson about first aid techniques to a group of office workers.

A man was quickly pumping a CPR manikin when the instructor, Rose, said he was pumping too fast, and that he should try pumping slower to achieve the target of 100 beats per minute.

" _Oh, okay. That's hard to keep track. How many is that per hour?"_

" _How's that gonna help you?"_

" _I will divide, and then count to it."_

" _Right."_

Rose told him that it was a good trick to pump to the beat of "Staying Alive" by The Bee Gees.

" _First I was afraid, I was petrified…"_

"No," Rose stopped him, _"it's 'ah, ah, ah, ah, stayin' alive, stayin' alive…"_

" _You were in the parking lot earlier, that's how I know you!"_ somebody interrupted.

There was an awkward pause until he finally began to sing the correct song.

Soon, everyone in the room was singing.

" _You didn't maintain 100 beats per minute, and the ambulance didn't arrive, because nobody called 9-1-1, so you lost him,"_ Rose interrupted with a bitter voice.

" _Okay, he's dead. Anyone know what we do next? Anybody? Rose?"_ A man stood up from his seat and strode to the front of the room where the manikin lied.

" _I have no idea."_

" _Anyone else?"_

" _We bury him."_

" _Wrong._ Ehh!" He made a buzzer noise. _"Check_ _for an organ donor card. If he has one, we only have minutes to harvest."_

Duncan cracked a smile. He didn't even know what show he was watching, but it was hilarious. His spirits lifted a little.

After watching for a bit longer, he finally went to bed, as he had a long day of school and community service ahead of him.

* * *

The next day at school, Bridgette and Gwen noticed how happy Courtney was. They asked her about it during lunch.

"So, Courtney. What have you been up to lately?" Bridgette questioned, bringing a forkful of salad to her mouth.

"Oh, nothing, really," she answered with a small smile.

" _Reallllyyy?"_ Gwen drew out the last syllable.

"Okay, fine! I have a date!" Courtney had a huge grin on her face.

"Ooh!" Gwen and Bridgette squealed.

"Who's the lucky guy?"

"When is it?"

"Where is it?"

The two girls continued to bombard her with questions. Courtney did her best to answer them all and eat at the same time, but before she knew it, the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period.

The three girls bid farewell, and walked to each of their respective classes.

* * *

 _A/N:_ _Not my proudest, but it'll do. The scene that Duncan was watching on TV belongs to a show called_ The Office (US version) _, one of my favorite shows ever. If you want to find the scene, just search "First Aid Fail." I also used a bunch of names from that show, too. So danke to that show. And danke to you, too, for reading!_

 _("danke" is "thank you" in German.)_


End file.
